On the Road - Day 32

Last night as we ate dinner, we watched lightning and counted until we heard the thunder. It began about a mile away and came towards us. Vance went to bed about 8:30 and Pat organized our travel literature and postcard collection and came to bed later. It was quiet and totally dark. There were no lights or glimmers of fires. We slept well.

This morning, as we were pulling away from our leveling blocks, we experienced an interior deluge as water came down on the inside of the dining table window! Apparently, the blocks had kept the roof lake away from this side of the RV (and we must have a leak problem somewhere up there). Pat was shocked by this unexpected morning shower (which was saturating the materials she had organized last night as well as getting her wet).

Stopped at the Mt. Robson Visitor Centre and took photos of several mountains by standing in one spot in the parking lot and just changing direction.










Mt. Robson is indeed monumental. Even when you can't see its top.




We continued our journey towards Jasper, crossed into Alberta, and moved our clocks ahead one hour. At the Moose River we read a caution sign: Moose ahead next 15 kilometers. The bog to our right looked like perfect moose habitat!

Farther on we saw glacial lakes of incredible color. Vance called it turquoise, Pat called it aquamarine, and the travel brochure refers to it as vermillion. We all agree the water is opaque, the transparency gone with the addition of "rock flour" from the grinding of the glaciers. The color did not come out accurately using either of our cameras so we can't show you. But Pat will pick up some postcards to share when we return.

We passed Sleeper Mountain; Mount Fitzwilliams - tricolor banded, grey at the top, beige at the middle, deep green at its base; Mount Yellowhead and Mount Waddington among others. All are identified by signs on the highway. Masses of pink flowers graced our way. Pat is going to check the thesaurus because she feels she has overused "beautiful" and "gorgeous" and the views just keep getting better.

We wondered why so many cars had pulled to the sides of the road - then we spotted the black bear. Vance braved the danger and got out to take pictures with his telephoto lens. Most were of the bear's behind (which is the safer end!), but he managed to get a more presentable shot.

We checked in at the Jasper Visitor Centre and they called ahead on our behalf, so we got one of the last powered spots in Wapiti campground. We are sitting here in our RV eating cheese and crackers and looking forward to the adventures of tomorrow.











Later we took a walk along the Athabasca River and saw a rubber raft full of folks bouncing downstream, also a kayaker resting on a gravel bar.

Do not know the name of the mountains downstream, but they are magnificent.








Had leftovers for dinner. Vance washed the dishes at the community sink near the washrooms. He made of point of telling me that the water was almost luke warm, and that all the dishwashers were men - mostly Dutch and German!


Ended at, Wapiti Campground, in Jasper National Park, Alberta
(On highway 93 in the national park just outside of Jasper)
Odometer 60,744.8 (66.5) Total: 2600.3